STILL makes automation even smarter

The topic of automation is currently the subject of much discussion in the intralogistics industry. Under the motto “Automation – now even smarter”, the intralogistics and automation specialist STILL is now taking the next step: while automation in the industry has so far been primarily a playing field for technological innovations, the experts from Hamburg now want to meet their customers’ concrete and very specific automation needs efficiently and intelligently.

In addition to the desire for simpler products, STILL is registering a growing need among its customers for automation solutions that can be implemented quickly and are scalable. “Automation is also a response to the ongoing shortage of skilled workers. This is partly due to demographic trends. Numerous baby boomers will soon go into their well-deserved retirement. In addition, staff are urgently needed in almost every industry,” says Frank Müller, Senior Vice President Brand Management STILL, explaining this trend. Smart automation solutions are designed to help fill these gaps.

“Basically, it can be seen that the desire for automation has long since ceased to exist only among the ‘early adopters’ who are always on the lookout for the latest technical trends and products. In the meantime, for many companies it is the only way to counteract the pressure for efficiency. And it has to be as fast as possible, uncomplicated and, of course, reliable – and ideally without any major reconstruction in the warehouse,” adds the STILL brand manager.

Automation is becoming an important strategic cornerstone

Against this background, automation has become a particularly important strategic cornerstone for STILL in recent years. However, Frank Müller warns, “We don’t need higher, faster, further – we need smarter!” In other words, intelligent solutions with the appropriate level of automation that can be implemented quickly, are scalable and can be used anywhere. Also – and above all – in existing properties. “Many can equip a completely new warehouse on a greenfield site with a high degree of automation. The trick is to bring sensible automation into an existing, usually very tight warehouse structure. And it is precisely for these brownfield applications that STILL offers the right automation technology,” emphasises Frank Müller.

Intelligent solutions for existing buildings

Whereas in the beginning the requirements for the environment were high so that the intelligent helpers could find their way around it, today this is possible almost everywhere. A new factory or a new warehouse on a greenfield site with everything that makes the robotics heart beat faster is rather an exceptional case and would not be built for the sole purpose of automation. This means that automation solutions have to be brought into an existing warehouse structure (“brownfield”). Narrow aisles, no ideal process chains where all travel paths are free, but at one point or another something can get in the way. The particular challenge, however, lies above all in mixed operations, where automated vehicles have to operate together with manual vehicles and passenger transport, as ‘fenced automation’, i.e. automation in a separate area, is not possible in a brownfield warehouse. STILL has suitable solutions for this too: self-learning industrial trucks that can move safely and effectively even under unfavourable conditions – plus smart separation of horizontal and vertical transport with equipment suitable for mixed operations.

Smart automation

A smart separation of vertical and horizontal transports requires a large variance of available vehicle types. Then each vehicle can take on exactly the tasks it is best at – and thus price and performance also correspond to customer requirements and expectations. Why should a vehicle that is downright bulky compared to an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR), such as a high-lift truck or reach truck, be used for long-distance transports? Quite apart from the fact that the forklift cannot even reach the employees on the production line directly due to the tight space conditions prevailing there. It is better to use an AMR there, which quickly reaches the workstation on the production line and even scores points in terms of purchasing costs. With its compact design, it only needs half the space of a forklift truck to pick up and deliver the load. What’s more, at STILL you can choose between the entry-level ACH variant, which navigates by QR code on the ground, and the AXH for even more flexibility. The AXH comes into play when it comes to more complex applications. It also works well in mixed operation, i.e. in collaborative interaction with other automated guided vehicles (AGVs) such as vertical order pickers or reach trucks. But it copes just as well with vehicles that are not yet automated.

Aligning the degree of automation with the needs

The main difference between the models lies in the degree of autonomy that such a mobile robot brings with it. STILL recently demonstrated this in a very exemplary automation scenario at LogiMAT 2023. So it’s a question of how intelligent, how smart it actually is, in order to be able to deal with unpredictable situations or a less than ideal environment. In everyday life, this means that an intelligent autonomous robot does not need an idealised environment, but can adapt to its surroundings – just like its human colleagues. Obstacles in the route can be avoided, and in the event of full blockages it can completely re-plan its pre-planned route and find alternative routes to the destination. It is precisely these capabilities that allow smart robots to be used in the brownfield, preferably in mixed operation with manually operated vehicles.

The first autonomous transport vehicle from STILL is the OPX iGo neo. An intelligent, autonomous order picker that supports employees at work as an assistance robot (‘co-bot’). But the vehicle can do much more. In various research projects, STILL has shown that the neo is also capable of fully autonomous operation. What is interesting here is that the necessary environmental sensors are already in place, so it can serve as an ideal platform for further development steps to expand its AI capabilities.

Smart automation technology needs modularity in hardware and software

But that’s not all: STILL makes the automation of industrial processes even smarter via the scalability of automation and the use of the plug-in principle. “In order to keep up with the demands of customers and the required speed, both in production and in the implementation of automated vehicles, standardised modules are needed that can be combined to create individual solutions – for the vehicles and also for the software,” explains Frank Müller. Only standardised modules make it possible to design scalable automated solutions. Müller: “We need this modularity in the form of a modular system in order to be able to produce and commission vehicles more quickly. Maintenance, repair and retrofit, everything is made easier by portioned technology.” In addition, the modular design makes it possible to integrate additional, new features much more quickly and thus to react more flexibly to trends, customer wishes and new requirements.

VDA 5050

In the race against the ongoing shortage of personnel and growing cost pressure, STILL’s vision is to bring automated solutions to the general public. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) should not be niche solutions but become suitable for the mass market. An important step along the way is the VDA 5050 interface – the universal ‘language’, so to speak, for various existing systems. Because in a networked world, it no longer works for each manufacturer to develop on its own. Instead, mixed fleets with vehicles from different manufacturers should also be able to be automated without compromises. That is why several users and manufacturers of AGVs have joined forces to realise this interface project. With success: as part of the Test Camp Intralogistics during the IFOY Test Days 2023, vehicles from STILL and five other manufacturers drove together for the first time in a KION Group control system. This test scenario in Dortmund ran for four days – and it ran reliably, illustrating how the transmission of orders and status data via it works. From 27 to 30 June 2023, the project will find its place at the automatica trade fair in Munich – and STILL will be there again. At the same time, the communication interface is being further developed so that in future it will be the standard integrated into every new automated vehicle from STILL.

For more information, please visit: https://www.still.de/en-DE/